America is Having Record Infections and COVID-19 Deaths Right Now. What About the Rest of the World? (0:32)

Guest: Elizabeth J. King, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, co-author of “Coronavirus Politics” (forthcoming in 2021)

On Wednesday in the United States, more than 3,000 people died of COVID-19. That’s a record high for us, but compared to other countries–and if you take America’s size into account –is the pandemic really worse here?

 

Historical Landmarks Threatened by Climate Change (18:08)

Guest: Erin Seekamp, Professor of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, North Carolina State University

All across the US, major tourist attractions and historic sites are at risk from changing climate patterns: California’s great sequoias are burning in wildfires; the East Coast’s famous lighthouses are threatened by rising sea levels and intensifying hurricanes. Even the Statue of Liberty is in danger.  The US is not alone. Famous and important heritage sites all around the world are in danger from flooding, drought, and wildfires. How should we deal with that? Let the chips fall and repair as much damage as possible? Move historic structures to higher ground? Build barriers to keep the elements at bay?

 

Nose Dive: A Field Guide to the World’s Smells (28:45)

Guest: Harold McGee, Author of “Nose Dive: A Field Guide to the World’s Smells” 

Inhale through your nose with me for a moment. What do you smell? Deodorant? Dust? The leather seats in your car? The air freshener plugged into a wall nearby? Maybe there’s a whiff of dog or sweaty feet, or the toasty scent of fresh bread from a nearby bakery? On a subconscious level, we navigate the world as much through smell as through sight or sound. Our noses help us decide where to go, where not to go, when to wash, what to eat.

 

A Father’s Story of Premature Birth and Child Loss (52:18)

Guest: Ted Yang, Entrepreneur, Father of Prematurely-Born Triplets, Author of “Table for Five: A Father’s Story of Life, Love and Loss”

Premature births are extremely common in the United States–one baby out of ten is born early enough to face serious troubles with breathing, feeding and basic organ function. It’s far less common is to hear a father’s perspective on the trauma of premature birth and the death of a child.

 

Reading Over Winter Break (1:31:27)

Guest: Rachel Wadham, Host, Worlds Awaiting, BYUradio, Education and Juvenile Collections Librarian, Brigham Young University

In what’s been an exhausting year for parents of school-aged children, the coming holiday break offers a bit of relief from keeping on your kids to get their homework done, log into Zoom school sessions and complete their daily reading assignments. It’s okay to just let the 20-minutes-a-day thing slide when you’re on holiday, right?